Elaine Sortino made winning a habit at the University of Massachusetts in her 34 years at the helm of the Minutewoman softball program. She established herself as one of the nation's most successful collegiate softball coaches and helped to put Massachusetts on the national softball map.

She passed away on Aug. 18, 2013 at the age of 63 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

At the time of her passing, Sortino was one of just five active coaches to have 1,100 wins and concluded the 2013 season third among active Division I head coaches. She achieved her 1,100th win in dramatic fashion as it came in UMass' 8-3 victory over Fordham to win the 2010 Atlantic 10 Championship on May 15, 2010.

Sortino reached a coaching milestone on April 13, 2008 when the Minutewomen swept Temple at home, 9-0 and 10-0, to earn victories 999 and 1,000 of her illustrious career. She became just the eighth coach in Division I softball history to reach the plateau.

On December, 4, 2004, Sortino was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame at its annual convention in Las Vegas, Nev. In 2004, the NFCA also named UMass the 34th-best softball program all-time. She was inducted into the George "Trigger" Burke UMass Athletic Hall of Fame in October, 2013.

Sortino led UMass to 23 Atlantic 10 Conference titles, 21 NCAA regional appearances and three trips to the NCAA College World Series. The Minutewomen also made their first trip to the Super Regionals in 2006.

An 11-time A-10 Coach of the Year, Sortino was the first Northeast coach to post over 700 career wins. The 11 A-10 awards are the second-most of any coach in any sport in the conference, behind only UMass men's swimming coach Russ Yarworth (12). Sortino and her staff have been recognized as the Division I Speedline/NFCA Northeast Coaching Staff of the Year on six different occasions, most recently in 2009.

Sortino proved her ability of producing exceptional talent, coaching 28 All-Americans, 13 A-10 Player of the Year selections, 17 A-10 Pitcher of the Year picks, eight A-10 Rookie of the Year honorees and 120 All-Conference selections. The pinnacle of individual achievement for the UMass softball program occurred in the spring of 1999 as Danielle Henderson received the Honda Award, recognizing the nation's top softball player. Henderson went on to win a gold medal with the United States softball team at the 2000 Olympic Games. Sortino also coached another Olympian in Kaila Holtz. Holtz represented Canada in the 2004 Games.

In Sortino's career, UMass posted 25 30-win seasons, nine 40-win campaign and one 50-win season. Sortino had just one losing season at the helm of the UMass softball program.

In 2012, a year after missing out on the postseason for the first time since 1994, the Minutewomen rolled through A-10 competition with a 19-0 regular-season mark en route to a 38-13 overall record. UMass won 22-consecutive games that culminated with three wins and a walk-off home run by Kyllie Magill in the A-10 Championship game.

Sara Plourde made league history as she became the first student-athlete to win both Player and Pitcher of the Year in the same season, before adding tournament MVP honors in St. Louis. Quianna Diaz-Patterson claimed the league's Rookie of the Year as Sortino made it a sweep for just the second time in A-10 annals, joining the 1996 UMass quartet of Kim Gutridge, Liz Wagner, Danielle Henderson and Sortino.

In 2010, Sortino led UMass to a 42-10-1 record, including a 17-0-1 mark in A-10 play. The Minutewomen claimed their 22nd A-10 Championship and earned their 16th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

In 2009, UMass finished with a 41-10 record and made its 15th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Sortino was recognized as A-10 Coach of the Year for the third-straight season and 10th overall, while also being named ECAC Coach of the Year. The Minutewomen finished the season ranked No. 14 in both major polls.

In 2002, the Minutewomen won 33-consecutive games from March 23 until May 9, which tied for the eighth-longest streak in NCAA history. UMass compiled a 53-13 record, shattering the school record for most victories set by the 1998 team, who had 45.

In addition to her duties as the head softball coach at UMass, Sortino is the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs and Student Services as well as the Senior Women's Administrator. She has overseen and coordinated numerous national level sporting events, including the 1995 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships, the 1998 Men's Gymnastics East Regional and the 2003 NCAA Field Hockey National Championship.

A native of Yonkers, N.Y., Sortino came to UMass after two years at Yale University. Prior to assuming her duties as Associate Athletics Director, Sortino served as the head volleyball coach for the Minutewomen, posting a 218-134-1 record from 1979-1986. A graduate of Oneonta (N.Y.) State, she also earned her master's degree from the University of Bridgeport (Conn.). In the fall of 1999, Sortino was inducted into the Oneonta State Athletic Hall of Fame.